Philo archer wins national championship, prepares for world tournament

Jun. 18, 2013

After winning the National Archery in the Schools Program female championship, Philo sophomore April Bartenschlag will travel to St. Louis for the world NASP tournament June 28 to 30. She was also named to the NASP All-American Archery Team, which will travel to South Africa for a tournament in July. / Chris Crook/Times Recorder

Written by

Holly Richards

Staff Writer

PHILO — With five bull’s-eyes in a row, archer April Bartenschlag took first place in the national competition.

Now, it’s on to the world tournament.

April, 15, won the National Archery in the Schools Program high school female competition May 9 to 11 in Louisville, Ky. The Philo High School freshman was tied for first with a score of 296 and 26 10’s and then won a shoot-off by scoring a perfect 50 with five arrows in the bull’s-eye.

She won a $5,000 scholarship, two bows and two targets, and June 28 to 30, she’ll compete in the world tournament in St. Louis.

April also was named to the NASP All-American Archery Team, which will travel to South Africa for the first All-Star NASP World Championship in July.

“There are no words to describe it,” April said. “It’s overwhelming. I’ve been going to state the last four years, but this is the first time placing at this level at nationals.”

“She’s the first state and national champion for Philo,” added Joe Stemm, Philo’s archery coach. “She set goals for herself as a freshman that some of the juniors and seniors are. She’s a model student and archer.”

April first picked up a bow as a sixth-grader and qualified for Philo’s junior high team, she said.

“The team at the school started, and my dad was into archery, so my sister and I picked it up,” she said. “In sixth grade, I was small and really had no strength. But I’ve been dancing since I was 3, and now I’m in high school sports like soccer, so I’ve grown and am a lot stronger.”

“Even when she first started she showed she had the ability to shoot well,” Stemm said. “But this year, she really blossomed, and surprised even herself. She’s really worked to this.”

The Philo teams normally practice once a week during the school year. April said she and her sister Amelia, 17, practice at school and in a small practice range in their basement. While they’re always up for friendly competition, they’re sisters first.

“We practice a lot together,” she said. “We’re competitive with each other and we push each other. We’re best friends and always support each other. It’s not about winning. We want each other to do good.”

April said she sometimes get nervous stepping up to take her shots, but she does her best to stay calm and avoid distractions. She said this was difficult to do during the March NASP state tournament that was hosted in conjunction with the Arnold Classic at Veterans Memorial in Columbus. Arnold Schwarzenegger was watching the competition.

She ended up as one of Philo’s top shooters with 291 points. This qualified her for the recent national competition that further tested her skills.

“A girl from Iowa shot the same score, and I was shocked after the shootout with her,” April said. “What I’ve enjoyed most is meeting people at state and nationals from other states.”

When she first started shooting, April didn’t think she’d take archery very far. Now, though, she plans to stick with it.

“I plan on practicing all I can, and maybe step out of my comfort zone,” she said. “You never know where it could go.”

As she prepares for her sophomore year, April said she hopes more students will get involved and expand the NASP program.

“Even people who aren’t athletic can shoot,” she said. “Anybody can do it, and it’s not just a sport for boys. It works with your patience. Don’t give up on yourself. Just pick up a bow and practice at it. Even the littlest things help.”